Nice Photovoltaik Peak in Germany

[Xyzzy]

This video is a bit underwhelming, but one of the comments caught our eye:

The really huge energy storage flywheel systems have to have their axial rotation aligned on the same rotational angle as the earth or they lose massive amounts of the stored energy fighting the precession of the earth.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

This video is a bit underwhelming, but one of the comments caught our eye:

Not sure how far along this idea is, but it's potentially an interesting solution space....

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by Mark Rose

But wheels can be dangerous when they go flying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR7wJEmKds0

Now imagine a wheel with a million times the inertia.

I have seen, in the flesh, a dragster go to pieces and the massive rear wheel and tire put on an amazing demonstration. Based upon my recollection and checking a map, the tyre and wheel cleared ~120m and reached a height around 15m in a single go. It went down range and landed in what was essentially an open area. Part of sheet metal land near me in the car park closer to 150m from the location of the incident.

[chappy]

http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/21/s...se-2-schedule/

Only vaguely related but awesome piece about solar powered flight.

[chappy]

http://breakingenergy.com/2015/02/09...s-told-you-so/

[chappy]

http://news.yahoo.com/french-renewab...4--sector.html

[kladner]

Originally Posted by chappy

http://breakingenergy.com/2015/02/09...s-told-you-so/

Still, for all the DOE’s bow-taking, there is one unanswered question: What might happen to big solar if the Investment Tax Credit drops from 30 percent to 10 percent come 2017, as the law now holds? The trade group Solar Energy Industries Association is pushing hard to prevent that, suggesting that the decrease would severely crimp growth.

However, if all of the explicit and implicit subsidies for fossil fuels were eliminated, renewable source providers would probably need much less financial incentive to keep building.

[jasong]

Originally Posted by kladner

However, if all of the explicit and implicit subsidies for fossil fuels were eliminated, renewable source providers would probably need much less financial incentive to keep building.

This is the main problem. We don't need to give tax writeoffs to clean energy if we simply stop giving tax writeoffs to the polluting technologies.

Sorry for the restatement of what kladner said, but the public doesn't seem to realize that this is the most obvious solution. Simply stop giving tax writeoffs to ALL the energy sources and the clean energy cream will float to the top, imo.

Except for the sun, mother nature has been operating a closed system, so obviously recycling works pretty damn well. And that's basically what we're doing with clean energy systems. Recycling what's already there.

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

I have been checking the California ISO website for evidence of this plant coming on-line. I haven't seen it. It may not be part of the general grid. I passed by the plant under construction when I went to see the annular eclipse a while back.

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

It looks like it has come on-line. There have been 300+ MW of peak solar thermal production in the past 4 days.

I was looking at today's numbers (for reasons) and California is doing really well as of this moment of the renewables front.
http://www.caiso.com/Documents/Month...t-Apr2020.html
Much of the day I was seeing >50% of the power being used coming from in state renewable generation. And only 19MW of coal from state sources. I happened to see what was (at the time it was installed) the world's largest rooftop solar project a few weeks ago. It is massive.

[storm5510]

Originally Posted by kladner

Outstanding! Just think what the States could produce if we put even a bit more effort and expenditure into the project. Unfortunately, the collective intelligence and integrity of Congress would have to increase considerably.

There is still big $$$ being made from fossil fuel. It seems they do not like anything which will not line their pockets.

[VBCurtis]

Originally Posted by storm5510

There is still big $$$ being made from fossil fuel. It seems they do not like anything which will not line their pockets.

At these prices? Who is it that's making money on fuel, and which fuel?